Search on for fisherman who fell overboard

The U.S. Coast Guard is searching the Atlantic Ocean for a Pompano Beach man who fell overboard from a commercial fishing vessel while swordfishing 400 miles east of St. Augustine on Thursday.

The Coast Guard is looking for 55-year-old Peter Steewell.

Coast Guard watchstanders learned of the accident about 5 p.m. Thursday and immediately began directing search assets toward the scene.

The search went on through the night and is continuing, officials said.

They said Steewell was wearing sweatpants, a T-shirt and rubber boots, and was not wearing a life jacket when he fell overboard.

His ship, the Fine Tuna, is a 57-foot longliner fishing vessel homeported in Wanchese, N.C.

Weather at the time of the accident was reported to be 35 mph winds and 8-9-foot seas. The water temperature is about 73 degrees.

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